Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has told field administrators that the Election Commission will issue no “unlawful orders” during the upcoming polls, urging officials to act neutrally, professionally and strictly within the law. 

Speaking on Wednesday (October 22) at the Electoral Training Institute (ETI) in Agargaon of the capital, he opened a training programme for upazila nirbahi officers ahead of the 13th parliamentary election. 

Senior EC officials, including Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed and other election commissioners, attended. 

Addressing the participants, the CEC called for a culture of respect for the rule of law, saying nations that honour the law are more civil and that Bangladesh must cultivate this norm across institutions. 

He urged administrators to perform their duties “fairly, lawfully, neutrally and professionally,” and to reject any external pressure, adding that the Commission itself would not bow to undue influence. 

Nasir Uddin emphasised coordination as a “crucial” pillar of election management at the upazila level, directing UNOs to ensure close, real-time cooperation with law enforcement, presiding officers and both central and district monitoring cells. 

Any crisis, he said, should be addressed at the outset through proactive coordination and rapid response. 

Referencing concerns raised by Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah, the CEC cautioned that mobile magistracy must not arrive “after everything is over.” 

He stressed timely deployment to prevent disorder, ballot snatching or centre takeovers. Sanaullah, a retired brigadier general serving on the Commission, has recently underscored the need for impartial, effective field operations. 

Reiterating his opening pledge, Nasir Uddin said the EC would not issue any improper or illegal directives to polling officials. Instructions from the Commission, he noted, would conform to the law and should be implemented accordingly. 

SMS/